Magnetostriction measuring instrument



W. D. WILLIAMS aifEL m 9 tit g a a M r a w a $9? 1 m wwlii-ww l. a @Q a 1 lhventor: William D. Williams,

llis Attorney.

May 13, 1952 MAGNETOSTRICTION MEASURING INSTRUMENT Filed Jan. 29, 1949 Fig].

May 13, 1952 w. D. WILLIAMS MAGNETOSTRI C TI ON MEASURING I NSTR UMENT Filed Jan. 29, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 AL. AMPLIFIER Inventor? William D. Williams,

His Attorney patented May 13, 1952 MAGNETOSTRICTION MEASURING INSTRUMENT I j J William D. Williams, Scotia, N. Y., assignor to General Electric New York Company, a corporation of Application January 29, 1949, Serial; No. 7 3.604

3 Claims. (01. 72-432) My invention relates to devices for measuring extremely small linear displacements and more particularly. to a device such as may be used to measure the magnetostriction of materials. 7

The close tolerances and precision construction of modernelectrical and mechanical equipment often make it necessary thatextremely small linear displacements of a material caused, by small strains in theorder of 40 l0 in./in.,be measured. .Such extremely smallchanges in dimensions are caused, for example,.by temperature changes or when certain materials are placed in amagnetic field. This latter phenomenon is called magnetostriction, and the variation of the length of a specimen caused by magnetostriction is commonly referred to as the Joule effect.

Measuring devices which have heretofore been constructed to indicate minute changes in dimensions have depended primarily upon the mechanical magnification resulting from asystem of mechanical levers. While suitable for the measurement of unidirectional or static linear displacements; such as might be caused by the application of a constant magnetic field, the inertia, elasticity and mechanical resonance ofthe Y lever arms make thesemeasuring devices inaccurate when used to indicate vibratory displacements such as are caused by the application of an alternating magnetic field. It is an object of my inventiomtherefore, to provide a device suitable for the measurement of either static or alternating linear displacements of extremely small magnitude. V

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the above type which employs a system of optical magnification alone thereby eliminating the necessity of a cumbersome and complex mechanical lever system.

A further object is to provide a new and improved device suitable for the measurement of the Joule effect of magnetostriction in a material when subjected to either a static or an alternating magnetic field.

'An additional object of my inventionis to-provide a device of the above type in which the output readings indicated can be easily calibrated to read directly the change in the dimensions of a measured specimen.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a device in which the magnetostriction of a specimen can be easily related to the degree of magnetic induction therein.

One-embodiment of my invention, as applied to the measurement of the Joule effect of magnetostriction may be generally described as comprising a test specimen suspended from a rigid supporting'member and secured to a movable grating of a shutter arrangement formed by a pair of parallel coarse optical gratings, one movable and one fixed, positioned intermediate a light source and a photosensitive device. Expansion or contraction of the test specimen'produces a consequent displacement of the movable optical grating relative to the fixed grating, therebyproportionally altering the amount of light reaching the photo-sensitive device through the gratings. The proper" magnetic field is achieved by placing'a' magnetizing coil around the test specimen. Temperature changes accompanying the magnetization of the test specimen may be compensated by a dummy specimen heated to the same degree as the test specimen and arranged to adjust automatically the position of the fixed grating relative to the movable grating.

The possibility of mechanical resonance of the specimen and associated parts inherently minimized by the absence of lever arms and may be further minimized by the use of damping weights carried by the specimen. since the light received by the primary displacement indicating photosensitive device depends upon the brilliance of the light source aswell as the relative grating displacement, a compensating secondary photosensitive device receivinglight directly from the light source is preferably connected into the output circuit in order to make the resultant output voltage independent of light-level variations,

The novel features which I believeto be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My invention itself, however, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may be best understood by reference to the following descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly in section, of the operating parts of one embodiment of my invention as applied to the measurement of magnetostriction, Fig. 2 is. a simplified schematic diagram of the measuring device of Fig. l, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged'sectional view of the optical gratings employed in the measuring device illustrated in Fig. 1. V

Referring now to Fig. 1, I have shown my invention in one form as-including a supporting member I which preferably takes the form of a relatively massive bifurcated cantilever supporting beam rigidly secured to a retaining member or wall (not shown). The lower-furcation 2 has a cross section which is much smaller than the upper furcation 3 and is separated therefrom by small distance d. A small measure of movement of the lower furcation 2 relative to the upper furcation 3 is obtained by a screw 4 threaded from top to bottom through the free end of the upper furcation 3 and pressing against the opposing upper surface of lower furcation 2. Because of the inherent elasticity of furcation 2 and the far greater mass of furcation 3, the rotation of screw 4 causes a vertical motion to be imparted to the lower furcation 2 which may be considered as being relative to the entire supporting member I. The amount of movement of the opening, 01, between the free ends of the furcations is indicated by any suitable measuring instrument such as a dial micrometer 5. From this data, the amount of movement of any point along -furcation 2, which acts substantially as lever fulcrumed at its point of joinoer to furcation 3, can be readily calculated.

buspenuedfrom a lug '3,'projecting downward from furcation 2 is asupporting bar I to which a specimen 8'of a materialwhich is to be tested is secured by such means as G-clamps 9.

Suspended from the lower end of the test specimen 8 by any suitable means such as C-ciamps II] and supportlngbars H and H is an opaque frame [2 having a window I3 which may be centraily positioned as illustrated. A comparatively coarse optical grating I4 covers the window it and ispreferably secured to frame l2 so that the grating lines are horizontal.

Means are provided to establish a longitudinal magnetic field creating a measurable degree of magnetic induction in the test specimen 8 which,

preferably, takes the form of a coil or solenoid l6 encircling the specimen 8. In order to obtain an accurate relationship between the magnetic induction and the magnetostriction of the specimen, the specimen is preferably clamped so that each end extends somewhat up'on supporting bars I and -l l, thereby leaving only the central portion of the specimen free to impart an overall movement to the entire suspended assembly. Since this central portion of the test specimen is entirely within a corresponding central portion of the solenoid, it is a region of substantially uniform magnetization.

Since the application of alternating current excitation through the solenoid may give rise to undesirable resonant'frequencies, 1 provide a plurality of damping weights l! composed of a nonmagnetic material which may, in one form as illustrated, comprise a number of brass clamps arranged in parallel fashion on either side of the specimen and individually secured thereto so as not to touch each other at any point; These additional damping weights l1 raise the natural mechanical frequency of the specimen 8 above the test range. If direct current (static) magnetostriction is to be measured, these damping weights I! may be dispensed with if desired.

A second or "dummy specimen l8, identical to the test specimen 8, is suspended from the portion of supporting member I adjacent the point of joinder of the furcations 2 and 3 in a manner similar to the test specimen 8 by such means as a lug 19, a supporting bar l3 and C-clamps 20. A non-inductively wound coil 2! of the same heat dissipation characteristics as coil I6 is placed around the dummy specimen l8 in order to heat the dummy specimen to the same extent as the test specimen without magnetizing the former.

v.Suspended from the dummy specimen by C'-clamps 22 and a pair of connecting supporting 4 bars 23, 24 is an adjustable drum holder 25 having a large central aperture 20' and carrying a drum 2| which is secured normal to the drum holder 25 around the rim of the aperture 26. The opposite end of drum 21 is secured to a second grating frame 28 located adjacent and in a plane parallel to grating frame 12. Frame 28 has a window 29 aligned to the open end of drum 25 and a notch 30 formed in its upper portion. An adjustable grating holder 3! has a fixed" grating 32 secured thereto by such means as angle brackets 33 and comprises a flat plate having a window 34 aligned to the grating 32 and a small lug 35 extending within notch 38 formed in the framework 28. The grating holder 3| is secured to the framework 28 by a pivotal connection 33 such as a hinge pin or shouldered rivet. A small measure of horizontal swing about this pivot point 38 is adjustably accomplished by a means of a pair of screws 37 threaded from opposite sides of frame 28 into notch 30 and pressing against theopposite sides of'lug35.

Adjustment of the gratings in a vertical direction is obtained by virtue of a'horizontal' beam 38 extending parallelto the top'of drumholder 25 and secured thereto at one end. 'An'adjustable screw 39 is inserted through a suitable aperture formed in the free end of beam 33 and threaded into the top of the drum holder'2'5. The supporting rod 24 is fastened by a knee joint 24' to the center of this beam 38 and the entire drum and frame assembly is suspended'therefrom. Rotation of screw 39 varies the spacing between the beam 38 and the top of the drum holder 25 thereby imparting a vertical adjustment to the fixed grating 32 which is attached to frame'28..

The optical-gratings themselves may, of course, be constructed in many different forms well known to those skilled in the art. ,,I prefer to use a pair of optical gratings l4 and 32 such as are illustrated in enlarged cross section in Fig. 3. ,A number of parallel grooves' la, forming lines, are etched in the surface of a suitable transparent material, such as opticalglass, and filled with an opaque substance. The width of these grooves are exactly equal to the spacing between them with the result that when both gratings are collimately aligned, they may be easily adjusted to obliterate a transverse light beam completely. A small vertical displacement of one of the gratings thereafter causes arelativel-y, large change in the intensity of light transmitted through this shutter arrangement. Although the sensitivity of these gratings is not exceedingly critical, the lines should be close enough to produce the proper magnification, but not so close as to prevent the entire range of magnetostriction movement from falling within the distance between any pair of adjacent lines. Optimum results have been obtained using gratings of approximately lines per inch. t

In order to prevent undesirable swaying or lateral vibration of the frameworks holding the gratings, I provide a hinge arrangement comprising four thin sheets M, ii 42, 42' of slightly flexible materialsuch as Phosphor bronze secured on one side to the upper and lower end portions of frame 12 and drum holder-23 respectively. The opposite sides ofsheets ll, 4! are fastened to an adjustable supporting plate 43 while the opposite sides of sheets 42, 42? are fastened to any suitable stationary sup-portingmeinber (not shown) Securedto the top and bottom surfaces of these sheets 4| are apainof rigid plates lll of slightly smaller length so thatthey do not entirely cover the sheets. 4 l but. leave a smallxportion ateither end which acts asaflexible diaphragm. .These rigid plates .44 function to preventthe bending of the central portionof the thin sheets.4 I ,4 l 42 and .42'while permitting asmall measure of vertical motion .ateither end.

Insertedaxially within drum 2'! is one end. of an illumination directing member 45 which may, in one form as illustrated, be a pipe or cylinder extending rearwardly, to supporting plate .43. Longitudinally spaced within the illumination directing member 45 are a compensatingsecondary photosensitive device 46 such. as aconventional photoelectric cell and a, source of illumination}?! such as an electric lampsecured .within suitable sockets 48 having terminals 49 which preferably are easily accessibleexternally asillustratedlin Fig.1. Theillumination directing member 45has a, collimatinglens 50 across its insertedend to produce-a beamof parallelrays of light incident upon grating 32. l

Meansare providedto aim the illumination directing member 45 so that substantially all of thelight rays are propagated in a directionnormal to the gratings. In one form as illustrated, this adjustment of the direction of the light beam may be accomplished by a plurality of set screws extending through an annular flange 5 I which extends from supporting plate 43 and encircles the illumination directing member 45.

In order to align grating 32 in a plane adjacent and parallel to grating Hi, I providea plurality of heavy thumb screws 52 inserted through suitable apertures adjacent the edges of supporting plate 43 and threaded into a suitable rigid supporting member designated by numeral 53. A heavy spring 54 encircles each of these screws intermediate the plate 43 and the supporting member 53 and aids in securely holding the plate 43 in-position regardless of the angle to which it is adjusted by the screws 52. frame 28 is supported by drum 2'! which, in turn, is mechanically connected to plate 43 by hinges 4| and 4!, adjustment of the position of plate 43 correspondingly varies the position of grating 32 with respect to grating l4.

On the opposite side of the gratings 32 and is, a second lens 55 and a primary displacement indicating photosensitive device 56 are spaced to intercept consecutively the rays of light transmitted through the gratings l4 and 32. The distance between the lenses 50 and 55 as well as their construction is such that the light beam is focused on this second photosensitive device. Many different arrangements for supporting and adjustably positioning the lens 55 and the primary photosensitive device 56 Will obviously occur to those skilled in the art and are omitted from the drawings in order to prevent unnnecessary complication thereof.

Referring now to Fig. 2, I have shown a simplified schematic circuit diagram of my invention. The coils l6 and 28 are connected in series througha selective switch 5! with either an alternating current source 58 or a direct current source 58'. The primary indicating photosensitive device 56 is connected in series with the source of unidirectional voltage such as battery 59, a double-pole, double-throw switch 60 and a load impedance, such as resistor iii. The double-pole, double-throw switch 69 serves to connect a sensitive microammeter 60' into the circuit when thrown to position #1 to permit adjustment of the light level about which variations are to be measured. The secondary compensating photoelectric Since grating cell 47. is connected in serieswithbattery 59and asecond current impedance element such as resistor '62,to form a conventional bridge .,circuit with the primary photoelectriccell circuit. ,The 5 output voltage is taken across resistors 61,62 which form adjacent arms, of the bridge network. For direct current excitation, this output is preferably amplified by a conventional direct current amplifier designated as blockfiil, and is measured by a volt meter 63.. For alternating current, this output is also preferably amplified further by a conventional alternating current amplifier, indie sa d by bl c be e i s applied, throu c u n co e e .6 and out ut poten iometer y 56 to a volt meter 61. This voltmeter 61 is preferably of the type adjusted to read peak alternating voltage rather than the effective value in order to measure peak elongations or contractions of the test sample.

It will be appreciated that because ofthe-ex I tremely small differential variations involved,- the entire assembly, with the exception of the test specimens, is preferably constructed from nonmagnetic materials in order to preserve a con: .25 dition of uniform magnetization of thespecimen and to prevent magnetic attraction between the component parts. It will also be appreciated that my invention must be aligned most carefully if accurate and reliable readings are to be ob- 39 tained. In the alignment procedure, grating 32 is first arranged in a plane adjacent and parallel to grating 14 by adjusting screws 52 inserted through supporting plate 43. Screws 3! are then adjusted until the grating lines are'perfectly parallel. The double-pole, double-throw switch 60 is then thrown to position 1 and by reference to the readings of microammeter 60,

the screw 39 is turned to adjust the relative vertical displacement of the grating lines in order .5 to produce a proper quiescent light level.

Direct current calibration is accomplished by turning screw 4 in the free end of cantilever supporting beam I and plotting the readings of the micrometer 5 against the output readings of the volt meter 63. The movement of grating l4 caused by movement of the lower'furcation 2 at the point of joinder of the supporting lug 6 to furcation 2 accurately represents the movement of the gratings which is subsequently caused 5 by an elongation or contraction of the test specimen suspended therefrom. Therefore, since the ratio between the movement of the free end of furcation 2 and the movement at the point of joinder is easily calculated, the change in the output voltage can be directly related to -the change in the dimensionsof the specimen.

Thereafter, the micrometer is reset to its zero level and a direct current is applied through coils IB and 2|. The change in output voltage directly indicates the change in the length of the specimen caused thereby. It will be app ieciated that if the zero level is set somewhere intermediate the maximum and minimum read ings of the output voltmeter, it will be possible 55 to distinguish between positive magnetostriction (elongation) and negative magnetostriction (contraction).

The current which flows through coil l6 around the test specimen 8 also flows through coil 2| encircling the dummy specimen 18. Al-

though coil 2! is non-inductively wound so that no magnetization of the dummy specimen results, both specimens will, nevertheless, be heated to the same degree by the coils. The elongation of both the test specimen and the dummy specisesame men due-to: this increase in temperature will bertransmittedto both grati-ngs l t-and- 32 equally so-that no-dirferential due to temperature varia-'' tions will/be present: 11 r a 1 .7 The alignment procedure ofalternating current: excitation is essentially the same as. that for-direct current excitation.- In addition, all alternating-current readings may be -reierred .to a *-standard: test specimen-thereby permitting-arelative'cali bration-to be obtainedi i For b'oth alternating current and direct current excitation-of-the specimen-, the relationshipbetween the magnetizing current andthe magnetic induction resulting -therefromforany particular specimen can be obtained by conventionalmethods; '-Since the magnetizing-- current and the magnetostri'ction resulting therefrom may be discovered from -my invention-,-the mag netostriction can be plotted aga-instthe magnetic induction ot the specimen to provide a curve fx r ati fa w fififiyj..1. 1 i".L..:..

- -I'-t "will be --appreciated-' that althoughl -have sh'owrrmy invention as applied to the measuremerit of'magnetostriction, --it ma-y also be -uses to measure other small linear displacements of materials caused'by various other *phy-siealphenomenaa' -It-may be used, for example',to-'measure-the eirpansionbfmaterials 1 due tovariations intemperature and thereby to-obtain the temperature coefiicients of expansion thereofi It Will'be understood; therefore, that although I "have-shown one embodiment of my l1 invention, many modifications may be made -and I,-the-'refore, intend by the appended claimsto cover all such-modifications as-fall Within the tru'ejspirit and'sc'orie of my invention. y

1 'What' Iclaim as new-and desire to secure by Letters Pateni'ro'fthe United States "is:

- -1. In-a-magnetostriction measuring devie'e, the combination ofa supporting member; means for suspending'apair of specimens of a material to be measured from adjacent points on said supporting-member,-means to magnetize one'ofthe specimens, means to "heat without-magnetizing the other of the specimens, a pair or-optical -e;

gratings arrangedrespectively to be suspended from-the pair of specimens in adjacent parallel planes; means to produce a light beam'im-pingingupon saidgratings from a direction normal thereto, said gratings havingtheir grating lines "arranged to behorizontallyparalleland-to controiby their relative vertical positions 1 the intensity of said light transmitted therethroiig h, and means including 'aphotosensitive device to measure the said transmitted-lightintensity;

2."'Iir*a*device'for measuring-the Joule efie'ct ofmagnetostriction, the combination comprising a =-horizontally extending bifurcated supporting memberh'aving a stationary portion-and having its -furcations extending from said 'stationary portionone above the "other, its upper Y furcation being of muchgreater mas's than its lower f-urca' tion,- means'to vary by known inerements the dist'ance between thefree ends of said sure atio'ns, means-to suspend a first specimen ol a material to 'be measuredfrom-said lower iurcation, means to suspend a second specimen havingthe same temperature coemcient-as the 111st specimen-'Irom a stationary portion' 01 said supportingmemoer, a magnetizing solenoid arranged to encircle the first spec1men, 'a'heating con arrangedto' encircle' the second specimen whereby the second specimenvis: heated to the same temperature as the -'1irst.- specimen, a pair 9 'ofoptical gratings arrangedzto be suspended fromthe' iirst and second specimens respectively in adjacent paral- 'lel pianes, a source of illumination on one side of-saidgratings, aprimary photosensitivetdevice on the opposite "$10.8 thereoL-optmal meansi'orming' a-l-ight beam: from said source through said gratings to said primary photosensitive device, said gratings being aligned-to-control by their relative-vertical positions the intensity of-said light "beamtransmittedtherethrough; an electrical circuit' connected to said primary photo- 'sensitive device to produce an output voltage proportional to said transmitted light "intensity, and asecondary photosensitivedevicelocated to receive "light'directly from saidsource of illumination'and-being connected in said electrical circuit-to-produce avoltage in opposition to said primaryphotosensitive device output voltage, thereby -to-compensatefor variations in the intensity of said light sourcer i 3. A device for measuring the magnetostriction of a material-when subjected to an alternating magnetic field comprising a supporting member adapted' to -h'ave a pair of specimens of a material to beme'asured suspended therefrom, means to producean alternating magnetic field through-one-of-said specimens including a solenoid-encirclingsaid one specimen, means-to heat the other specimen tothe same temperature as said one specimen including a non-inductively wound coil encircling said other" s pec'ii nerr a "pair of 'optical gratings respectively suspended in adjacent parallel planes: from said pair of specimens and moving together therewithoptical means to produce -a-lightbeam i1npinging upon saidgratings from a direction normalthereto, *said gratings being aligned to -v'ary the level 'of light intensity transmitted therethrough by their relative vertical position, and means to measure the variations of said level of transmitted light intensity? r s j v ,WILLIAM D. REFERENCES crrnn Thefollowing'reierenees are of record in the 'fll'e'of this patent:

, UNITEDSTA TES PATENTS I Number "Na-mel 'Date- 2,122,818 Lodrach July 5, 1938 2,206,853 Poupitch July 2, 1940 2,269,548 Eldredge Jan; 13, 1942 2,293,289 Gadd Aug. 18, 1942 Graf 'NOV; 2,312,888 Everest Mar. 2, 1943 2,363,964 Howson etal. Nov. 28, 1944 2,397,971 Martinec Apr. 9, 1946 

